Warren cashes in to lift June Medal

Published:13:00Wednesday 08 June 2016

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The first Saturday in June began the countdown to Captain’s Day at Lurgan Golf Club, the highlight of the year, at the end of the month.

Saturday’s June medal saw well over 200 golfers enjoy the glorious summer weather and will have left some players wondering whether they have begun to hit form at just the right time, or have they peaked a little too soon.

The winner was honorary treasurer Warren McCleary with a nett 66 off 13. This was Warren’s first victory of the year and he will be very pleased with his birdie at the last which promoted him to the top from a place among the also rans. He took the Medal after a nett 33 on the back nine.

The experienced Kenny Hanna also had a nett 66, off 14, and he took the runners-up spot. After dropping just 3 shots on the front 9, he contrived to drop a further 7 on the way home for a nett 35 back 9.

David Moore won the April Medal and came close to a nice double when he finished third with a nett 67 off 12. His impressive back 9 of 39 shots gave him the edge over Andrew Cummins who came 4th with a nett 67 off 5. Andrew had birdies at 3, 15 and 17, but it was his double bogey at 16 which ultimately denied him outright victory in the competition. Having finished 4th in the May Medal as well, no doubt he will be hoping for a change of luck in the near future.

The gross prize went to David Sutton who went round in just 67 shots to record the day’s only sub par round. His only bogey came at 11, while he had birdies at 8, 10, 15 and 18.

The low section went to Tony Gallery with a nett 68 off 11. He had been involved in a duel with playing partner Michael McMahon who also returned a nett 68, off 12. Their back 9s contrasted sharply as Tony came home in just 3 over, while Michael managed to drop 7 shots over the same stretch.

Robin Whyte is playing very consistently at the moment and he took the middle section with a nett 67 off 18, a couple of double bogeys coming home denying him a higher finish.

The high section went to Eugene Green with a nett 68 off 25, winning the section by two clear shots.

Brian Clarke was the runaway winner of the Gents Open Stableford with 41 points off 14 on Sunday. Four dropped shots over the first four holes suggested the plan may have continued for a while longer, but 9 pars over the last 14 holes saw him through to victory by four shots.

The remaining five nett prizes were allocated to five players on 37 points, the honours being awarded according to the number of points scored over the closing holes.

Paul McKernan, 15, came second because of 20 homeward points despite a triple bogey at the 16th.

In third place came Barry Creaney with 19 points on the back 9. After his brother David had taken third place the previous day, Gary Moore came fourth, off 12.

Raymond McCrory, 11, brought yet another prize home to his household when he took 5th nett and Martin Cassidy, from Banbridge and off 17, will still be wondering how he finished 7-3-8 after a most impressive 15 holes.

Peter Cummins took the gross prize with 33 gross pts after going round in 73 shots.

Having just missed out on the prizes the previous day, Eamon Lynch made no mistake on Sunday, May 29 when he won the Gents Open Stableford with 41 points off 4. Birdies at 1, 14 and 17 helped him return a gross 69, the only sub par round of the day.

Stephen Lennon took second place with 40 points off 17. He had begun in fine style with a birdie and led the field until a triple bogey 8 at the 16th knocked him off the pedestal.

Third place went to Noel Robinson with 39 points off 13, a pair of double bogeys at 13 and 14 taking the shine off an otherwise very impressive card.

The last three nett prizes went to Gary McKee, 38 points off 10, Ian Mulholland, 38 points off 11, and Gareth Murphy, 37 points off 14, in that order.

The day’s gross prize went to young Conor McDonald with 34 gross pts after birdies at 9, 10, 14 and 18 played their part in a round of 72.

Eamon Lynch made it two out of two when he followed victory in the Gents Open Stableford with victory in the Wednesday Sweep. His second 69 in a row, with birdies at 1, 12, 13 and 15, meant 40 points off 3 to give him his third outright victory of the year. Those 3 birdies on the back 9 proved crucial as he needed that stretch to claim his victory.

Shane Magee took the runners up spot also with 40points off 3.

Third place went to Fintan McCann with 39 points off 13. and fourth was Thomas Hughes with 38 points off 17.

Damien Catney’s 21 homeward points gave him the edge over four other players on 37 points and he lifted fifth prize despite going NR-7 at holes 6 and 7. Jim McCann Jnr continued his good form by taking the last nett prize,off 10. Nathan McCann, 3, and Michael McHugh, 25, also had 37points but were edged out of the prizes on the back 9. Robert Emerson was the third player to go round in 1 under par, Eamon and Shane being the others, and he took the gross with 37 gross points.

The weather helped attract a large number of players from 9 different clubs to the May Seniors Open.

Canice McGivern, playing off 8, toured the course in 77 shots for his first victory of the year.

Michael McHugh, 25, has been no stranger to the prizes this year and he took second place having the best back 9 of 6 players on 36 points, despite his failure to score at 2 and 17.

Third place went to Paul Lyness with 36 points off 6, with the gross prize going to Laurence McGrady with 31 gross points.

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